*Viewer Alert:In the wild, not every story has a happy ending. While we enjoy following the exploits of these amazing raptors, images of them dispatching prey and the young competing for survival can be graphic and upsetting to some viewers.

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Osprey Cam - History

The birds here at the Wells Fargo complex in West Des Moines are the result of many years of reintroduction and recovery by Osprey in Iowa starting with the first successful nesting since European settlement at Spirit Lake and Iowa City in 2003.

The surviving three young from last year’s successful nesting at this site will stay in South America this year. This is an evolutionary strategy that benefits the Osprey population. Most mortality occurs during migration. Common loons are another of the few species that exhibit this benefit of delayed return migration their first year.
If they haven't arrived in Iowa already, the adult pair who have been using the nest platform and the 2016 young are beginning their return to Iowa. Two year-old youngsters from 2016 will roam around Iowa until choosing a mate and nest site when they are four or five years of age.

In 2017 there were 28 Osprey nest attempts that we knew about. Twenty-three of these nests were successful and produced 47 young which was an increase from 2016!

Thank you to the staff at Wells Fargo West Des Moines campus for providing the camera that allows viewers to enjoy these unique hawks from incubation to first flight.

Snapshot: June 6, 2017

June 6, 2017 9:49AM, Wells Fargo

Our MissionTo conserve and enhance ournatural resources in cooperationwith individuals and organizationsto improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy forfuture generations.